ES3055649T3 - Assembly and method for powering an electric aircraft and/or an electric aircraft equipped with said assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly and a method for propelling an electric aircraft (200) by means of a supplemental power supply system. The electrical power supplied by said system reduces the energy drawn from the battery and recharges it when the supplemental electrical power exceeds that consumed. Longer flight times can be achieved by defining various power profiles that are automatically activated by energy management systems. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the supplemental power supply device is a photovoltaic film covering at least a portion of the frame (201) of said aircraft (200). The invention also relates to an electric aircraft equipped with said assembly.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Assembly and method for powering an electric aircraft and/or electric aircraft equipped with said assembly. Field of the invention:

[0003] The present invention relates to an assembly and a method for powering a remotely controlled electric aircraft; in particular, it relates to the management of electrical energy stored in energy storage media and energy supplied by supplementary power supply means. The invention also relates to an electric aircraft equipped with such an assembly.

[0004] Description of the previous technique:

[0005] The popularity of commercial UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), commonly known as drones, is steadily increasing thanks to recent technological advancements. These vehicles are now manufactured in a variety of sizes (the smallest can fit in the palm of a hand) and are used for both professional and recreational activities, such as surveying, mapping, geographic information systems, inspections, science and research, monitoring and security, search and rescue, aerial video and photography, including so-called "selfies" (i.e., photographic portraits). In the latter case, drones can carry a camera or smartphone as a payload, replacing the selfie stick and allowing the user to take selfies more conveniently and flexibly.

[0006] The most popular types of commercial drones are equipped with electric motors and powered by batteries. For these electric aircraft, the energy they need to fly remains a crucial aspect, as battery capacity must be selected to strike a balance between flight time and weight, and the optimal compromise is often not satisfactory to the user.

[0007] US Patent No. 9,376,208B1 relates to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) configured with a redundant power generation system onboard the UAV using an auxiliary power source during operation and/or flight. The UAV's onboard power system may include a battery and at least one auxiliary power source comprising a combustion engine. The UAV's onboard combustion engine may be selectively operated to charge the battery when its charge level falls below full charge, and/or to power one or more of the UAV's propeller motors. However, it is clear that the arrangement of positioning a combustion engine onboard the UAV inevitably and undesirably increases the weight of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.

[0008] Summary of the invention:

[0009] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for improving the power supply of an electric aircraft in order to control the amount of energy drawn from the onboard battery and thereby increase flight time. Another object of the present invention is an electric aircraft equipped with an improved system for reducing the amount of energy drawn from the onboard battery and thereby increasing flight time.

[0010] The above objects are achieved with an assembly for powering an electric aircraft comprising, among other things, energy storage means (for example, a battery) for storing electrical energy, electrical power sensing means adapted to detect and/or measure voltages of said energy storage means and electrical currents flowing through said energy storage means, wherein said assembly also comprises supplementary power supply means adapted to provide supplementary power to said electric aircraft, and energy management means configured to:

[0011] - estimating a charge level of the energy storage means on the basis of said voltages and said electric currents detected and/or measured by said electric power sensing means, and - regulating, on the basis of said charge level and the electric current flowing through the energy storage means, a supplementary electric current generated from said supplementary power supplying means, to reduce the amount of electric power supplied by said energy storage means to the electric aircraft when the power consumed by said aircraft exceeds the output power of said supplementary power supplying means, and to recharge said energy storage means when the output power of said supplementary power supplying means exceeds the power consumed by said aircraft, wherein said assembly comprises flight control and navigation means for controlling the flight of said electric aircraft.

[0012] According to the present invention, said energy management means are also configured to change, through said flight control and navigation means, the capabilities and performance of said electric aircraft by switching between at least two energy profiles based on at least the charge level of said energy storage means, wherein each profile defines at least the maximum speed and/or acceleration and/or bank achievable by said aircraft.

[0013] In this way, the aircraft's flight time is increased.

[0014] The intervals and/or times at which the battery could be recharged are optimized by defining, for the aircraft, energy profiles that offer different compromise solutions between, on the one hand, energy consumption and, on the other hand, the capabilities and performance of the aircraft.

[0015] In one embodiment of the invention, the supplemental power supply means are a photovoltaic film that can cover (or wrap) different parts of the aircraft (e.g., the frame body, frame arms, or the like).

[0016] In other embodiments, the supplemental power supply means may be the battery of an electrical payload that can supply power to its carrier aircraft. Interesting examples of such electrical payloads include smartphones that could be carried by the aircraft to take selfies. Other supplemental power supply means may include fuel cells and other types of electrical generators suitable for aircraft applications.

[0017] Combinations of different energy sources can also be considered, since the contribution of multiple energy sources can be jointly optimized through the energy management means of the invention. In particular, the combination of a photovoltaic film with the battery of an electrical payload (e.g., a smartphone) can be advantageously considered.

[0018] Brief description of the drawings:

[0019] The features of the invention are specifically set forth in the claims appended to this description; these features will become clearer from the following description of a preferred, non-exclusive embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] - Figure 1 shows a block diagram representing the main components of an electric aircraft comprising an assembly according to the invention;

[0021] - Figure 2 shows the electric aircraft of Figure 1 with a photovoltaic film that supplies supplementary electrical power;

[0022] - Figure 3 shows a graph that represents a possible illustrative way of managing supplementary electrical energy and energy stored in energy storage media.

[0023] Detailed description of the invention:

[0024] In this description, any reference to “an embodiment” indicates that a particular configuration, structure, or feature described in connection with the implementation of the invention is comprised in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the expression “in an embodiment” and similar phrases that may appear in different parts of this description do not necessarily all relate to the same embodiment. Furthermore, any particular configuration, structure, or feature may be combined in one or more embodiments in any manner deemed appropriate. The numerical references appearing below are used solely for the sake of simplicity and do not limit the scope or extent of protection of the invention and its various embodiments.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, an assembly 100 for powering an electric aircraft 200, according to the invention, comprises the following parts:

[0026] - energy storage means 102, typically a LiPo (Lithium Ion Polymer) battery, for storing electrical energy in order to power electric motors and electronic circuitry; - supplementary power supply means 101 adapted to provide supplementary power to the electric aircraft 200, possibly comprising its own voltage and/or current controls for interfacing with external regulating means;

[0027] - electrical power sensing means 103 (for example, a shunt resistor and a pair of voltmeters, wherein the first voltmeter measures the battery voltage, while the second voltmeter measures the voltage across said shunt resistor, i.e., the current intensity and its direction) adapted to detect and/or measure voltages of said energy storage means 102 and electric currents flowing through said energy storage means 102, and estimate the power consumed by an individual element of the assembly 100 and/or by the complete aircraft and/or the electrical power delivered by an electrical power source;

[0028] - a power management means 105 (for example, a microcontroller and/or voltage regulator, or similar) configured to carry out the following steps:

[0029] - estimating a charge level of the energy storage means 102 on the basis of the voltages and electric currents detected and/or measured by the electric power sensing means 103, - regulating, on the basis of said charge level and said electric currents flowing through said energy storage means 102, a supplementary electric current generated by said supplementary power supplying means 101 in order to reduce the amount of electric power supplied by said energy storage means 102 to said electric aircraft 200 when the power consumed by said aircraft 200 exceeds the output power of said supplementary power supplying means 101, and to recharge said energy storage means 102 when the output power of said supplementary power supplying means 101 exceeds the power consumed by said aircraft 200.

[0030] In summary, when assembly 100 is in operational condition, the power management means 105 execute a method for powering an electric aircraft 200 according to the invention. This method comprises the following phases:

[0031] - an acquisition phase, in which the voltages of energy storage media 102 and the electric currents flowing through them are detected and/or measured by the electric power sensing means 103;

[0032] - a load estimation phase, in which the load level of the energy storage means 102 is estimated, through energy management means 105, on the basis of said voltages and said electric currents detected and/or measured by said electric power sensing means 103; - a regulation phase, wherein the supplementary electric current is generated from the supplementary power supply means 101 adapted to provide supplementary power to said electric aircraft 200, and wherein said supplementary electric current is regulated, through the power management means 105, on the basis of said load level and said electric currents flowing through said energy storage means 102 in order to reduce the amount of electric power supplied by said energy storage means 102 to said electric aircraft 200 when the power consumed by said aircraft 200 exceeds the power output of said supplementary power supply means 101, and to recharge said energy storage means 102 when the power output of said supplementary power supply means 101 exceeds the power consumed by said aircraft 200.

[0033] In this way, the flight time of the aircraft is increased, since the energy extracted from the energy storage means 102 is reduced.

[0034] In a possible variant of the invention, assembly 100 may also comprise:

[0035] - some memory media 107 containing at least software code or parts thereof, and data; and

[0036] - at least one electric motor 106 to provide thrust to the electric aircraft, preferably via a propeller coupled to the electric motor shaft.

[0037] In this variant, the power management means 105 are configured to perform the following steps: - calculate, using data delivered by said means electrical power sensors 103 and/or data stored in said memory means 107, power consumption data representing the electrical power absorbed by said electric aircraft 200;

[0038] - read, from said supplemental power supply means 101 and/or from data stored in said memory means 107, power supply capacity data representing the power supply capacity of said supplemental power supply means 101;

[0039] - read, from said energy storage media 102 and/or data stored in said memory media 107, maximum recharge current data representing the maximum recharge current of said energy storage media 102, i.e., the maximum allowable current for recharging said energy storage media without damaging them;

[0040] - acquire the charge level of the energy storage media 102;

[0041] - regulate the current supplied by said supplementary power supply means 101 to said energy storage means 102 on the basis of said power consumption data, said power supply capacity data and the load level, to provide a recharge current that is less than or equal to the maximum recharge current represented by said maximum recharge current data.

[0042] In this way, the flight time of aircraft 200 is increased, since the energy storage means store additional energy. Furthermore, these features allow less current to be drawn from the energy storage means 102, thus increasing the flight time. Additionally, assembly 100 may also comprise the following parts (which will be detailed later in this description):

[0043] - means of flight control and navigation 104, for acquiring orientation, movement and position data, calculating flight commands and operating electric motors 106;

[0044] - a payload 108, which may have additional energy storage means, i.e., means that can supply additional electrical power to said electric aircraft 200;

[0045] - telecommunications media 110, for communications with a remote control.

[0046] Also referring to Figure 2, the aircraft 200 may comprise a frame 201 comprising a main body 202 and at least one frame arm 203 (preferably four) attached to the main body 202, wherein the engine 106 is positioned at the end of said at least one frame arm 203, absorbs electrical power from an electric bus 112 (i.e., the energy storage means 102 and the supplementary power supply means 101), and is controlled by the flight control and navigation means 104.

[0047] In one embodiment of the invention, the supplemental power supply means 101 comprise a photovoltaic film 204 covering (or wrapped around) at least a portion of said frame 201. With technological advances in photovoltaic cells, a photovoltaic film 204 capable of producing tens of watts could weigh a few grams and have high efficiency in converting sunlight into electricity (see, for example, http://news.mit.edu/2016/ultrathin-flexible-solar-cells-0226).

[0048] In more detail, this photovoltaic film 204 can be positioned to cover different parts of the aircraft 200, such as the (upper part of the) truss arm 203 and/or the main body 202, or similar parts. In this way, the film 204 improves the mechanical properties of the truss 201 (for example, by increasing the load-bearing section of the arm and/or damping vibrations), by enabling a significant reduction in the weight of the truss 201. This allows for a reduction in the electrical power drawn by the motor 106 from the main energy storage means 102, thereby increasing the flight time of the aircraft 200.

[0049] In some cases, the aircraft 200 may comprise a wing, or a series of wings, attached to the frame 201. In such cases, a large area is available for collecting energy by means of the photovoltaic film 204. Moreover, in some phases of flight, the lift generated by the wings can result in a significant reduction in the electrical power consumption of the aircraft's motors 106; therefore, the combination of a large area for capturing photovoltaic energy with the reduced power consumption of the motors significantly increases the ratio of supplementary energy to energy consumed, thus offering not only a reduction in the energy depletion of the energy storage means 102, but also options for having excess supplementary power available to recharge the energy storage means 102. This will increase the flight time of such aircraft 200.

[0050] The motor 106 comprises a stator portion and a rotor portion (comprising a motor shaft), wherein the stator portion comprises coils of metal wire, while the rotor portion may comprise a plurality of permanent magnets positioned to interact with the magnetic field produced by the coils when an electric current passes through them. This motor may be of the external rotor type (i.e., the rotor around the stator) or of the internal rotor type (i.e., the stator around the rotor).

[0051] The photovoltaic film 204 can also be applied to the stator of the motor 106. This solution is particularly advantageous for an internal rotor motor because the stator has a larger surface area, and the film can be connected to the energy management means 105 via a pair of metal wires. If the motor is an external rotor type, the photovoltaic film can also be applied to the rotor section. This solution requires a pair of electric brushes positioned around the motor shaft, which connect the photovoltaic film to the energy management means 105.

[0052] If the photovoltaic film is positioned on a propeller coupled to the motor shaft 106, the motor may comprise a pair of electric brushes positioned around the motor shaft, wherein said electric brushes connect the photovoltaic film on the propeller (or rotor) to the energy management means 105. More specifically, said shaft or any other parts of the rotor that are in contact with said propeller may comprise a pair of electrical contacts in electrical connection with the photovoltaic film positioned on the surface of said propeller, wherein each of said electrical contacts is connected to one of the electric brushes positioned around the motor shaft. In this way, it is possible to increase the surface area of the aircraft on which the photovoltaic film can be positioned. This enables a reduction in the electrical power that the motor 106 draws from said main energy storage means 102, thereby increasing the flight time of said aircraft 200.

[0053] In other embodiments of the invention, the supplementary power supply means 101 comprise fuel cells or other types of electric generators or a combination of any type of electric generators without departing from the basic inventive idea, as understood by those skilled in the art.

[0054] The electrical power sensing means 103 should be considered in a broad sense. They may be conventional means for measuring current and voltage, or they may be means for acquiring information from which power delivery or power consumption can be evaluated. An example of the latter is the evaluation of the power consumption of the aircraft's electric motors, which could be obtained by acquiring information, via a control bus 111, about their drive signals, which could be available from the flight and navigation control means 104.

[0055] Similarly, the power management means 105 should be considered in a broad sense. They may comprise conventional voltage and/or current regulators or other types of regulators that effect a change in delivered electrical power. For example, in some embodiments of the invention, the photovoltaic film may have the ability to orient itself, and the power management means 105 are configured to calculate (during the regulation phase) positional and orientation data representing an absolute position and attitude (i.e., an orientation) of said electric aircraft 200, wherein the photovoltaic film 204 comprises drive means (e.g., a multi-axis gimbal or the like) adapted to orient said photovoltaic film 204 with respect to the frame of said electric aircraft 200, and wherein said power management means 105 are also configured to orient said photovoltaic film 204, by means of said drive means, on the basis of said positional and orientation data. In this way, it is possible to maximize the energy production of the 204 photovoltaic film by keeping it directed towards a light source, thus increasing the flight time.

[0056] The energy management means 105 may also be configured to manage aircraft capabilities and performance, in order to enable, for example, the reduction of performance and/or capabilities when there is a need to reduce power consumption. In particular, the energy management means 105 define a series of “energy profiles,” each characterized, for example, by the availability of certain capabilities, an aircraft performance level 101, and a power consumption.

[0057] Considering a first embodiment of the invention, in which the supplementary energy supply means 101 are implemented by means of a photovoltaic film and the energy storage means 102 are implemented by means of a LiPo technology battery, the basic ideas of the invention are described below.

[0058] The electrical power that a photovoltaic film can produce is highly variable, depending on the angle of the sun's altitude, the presence of clouds, obstructions from obstacles, and the orientation of the photovoltaic film with respect to the direction from which the light originates. On the other hand, the power consumption of an electric aircraft can change depending on the maneuvers being performed by the aircraft (e.g., takeoff, landing, hovering, high-speed climb), the payload, and the wind. As a result of the above variabilities, the difference between the available supplemental electrical power and the electrical power consumed by the aircraft 200 can vary within a wide range. In particular, it can range from positive to negative values, i.e., from conditions in which there is excess electrical power available that can be used to charge the battery, to conditions in which the electrical power supplied by the supplemental power delivery means 101 can only reduce the battery's depletion. When there is an excess of electrical power that can be used to recharge the battery, it must be considered that there are limits to the recharging electrical current, and therefore regulation of the electrical power supplied by the supplementary energy supply means 101 is necessary. In the invention, the regulation of the recharging current is carried out by the energy management means 105, which are configured to implement the criteria also described below with reference to Figure 3, considering a rechargeable LiPo battery as the energy storage means 102, as previously stated.

[0059] The horizontal axis (abscissa) of the graph in Figure 3 represents the battery charge level as a percentage of full charge, while the vertical axis (ordinate) represents the charging current limit. The diagram also contains other data that will be analyzed later.

[0060] For a wide range of the battery charge level, corresponding in Figure 3 to the dashed segment MB, the charging current must not exceed a value C<Max> corresponding to the ordinate of point M. Therefore, in that range, the charging current could fluctuate between zero and C<Max>, and the power management means 105 must ensure that the charging current does not exceed C<Max> by limiting the electrical current delivered by the supplementary power supply means 101. In this case, the limit of the electrical current delivered by the supplementary power supply means 101 is C<Max> plus the power consumed by the aircraft.

[0061] Above the interval corresponding to segment MB, the charging current limit gradually decreases along segment BA, reaching zero at point A, where the charge level is below 100%. This is because, in the case of LiPo technology, it is advisable not to charge the battery to 100%, especially when the battery is installed in an electronic device where it can alternately supply or store energy, and it is also advisable to gradually reduce the charging current as the charge level approaches its maximum.

[0062] The energy management means 105 of the invention ensure that the charging current absorbed by the battery, from the electric bus 112, is kept within the right trapezoid ABMO; therefore, the first part of this energy management procedure can be summarized as follows:

[0063] - the elements of assembly 100 are in signal-enabled communication via control bus 111 and obtain or supply electrical power via power bus 112;

[0064] - the energy storage media 102 have the ability to supply energy and receive a recharge current (via the electric bus 112) with specified limits on the maximum recharge current, data of which are made available via the control bus 111;

[0065] - the total electrical power consumed by the electric aircraft 200 is evaluated through the electrical power sensing means 103 and/or from data stored in the memory means 107; - the energy management means 105 can be configured to carry out the following steps: • obtain the power supply capacity of the supplementary power supply means 101 from the supplementary power supply means 101 itself and/or from data stored in the memory means 107,

[0066] • acquire the maximum recharge current limits of the energy storage media 102, • evaluate the charge level of the storage media 102,

[0067] • regulate the amount of power supplied by the supplemental power supplying means 101 to provide a recharge current to the energy storage means 102, complying with the specified limits of the maximum recharge current, based on the total electrical power consumed by the electric aircraft 200, the power supply capacity of the supplemental power supplying means 101 and the level of energy stored in the energy storage means 102.

[0068] To extend flight time, certain power profiles can be provided, where these profiles establish a compromise between performance and/or capabilities in relation to power consumption. For example, in the case of video drones, the video recording resolution could be reduced, while in general cases, some flight modes, such as user tracking and following, could be limited, and/or performance, such as maximum speed, maximum climb rate, and other capabilities, could be reduced. These compromises not only result in reduced power consumption but also increase the likelihood that the supplemental power delivered by the supplemental power supply means 101 will exceed the power consumed by the aircraft 200, thereby allowing for some battery recharging.

[0069] The diagram in Figure 3 shows an example of power management comprising four energy profiles: - Profile 1: maximum performance, maximum power consumption;

[0070] - Profile 2: balanced power/performance;

[0071] - Profile 3: minimum performance, minimum power consumption;

[0072] - Profile 4 or landing profile: performance and capabilities strictly necessary for landing.

[0073] The above profiles can be activated by the user via remote control and 110 telecommunications means, through which the user can also receive information about the status of the aircraft and, in particular, about the battery charge level.

[0074] However, power profiles can also be activated by power management means 105, based on the battery charge level, as explained below with reference to Figure 3.

[0075] In the interval above a first threshold t1 of the battery charge level, the power management means 105 activate Profile 1. As the battery level decreases, the power management means 105 maintain Profile 1 until the battery level has exceeded the first threshold t1 and reached a second threshold t2, at which point the power management means 105 switch to Profile 2. As the battery level decreases below threshold t2, the power management means 105 maintain Profile 2 until the battery level has exceeded a third threshold t3 and reached a fourth threshold t4, at which point the power management means 105 switch to Profile 3. As the battery level decreases below threshold t4, the power management means 105 maintain Profile 3 until the battery level reaches a fifth threshold tL, at which point the power management means 105 switch to the landing profile. forced landing, and the aircraft lands.

[0076] However, if before reaching threshold tL, the battery begins to recharge and its charge level increases, with the increase in the battery level the power management means 105 maintain Profile 3 until the battery level has exceeded the fourth threshold t4 and reaches the third threshold t3, at which point the power management means 105 switch to Profile 2. With the increase in the battery charge level above threshold t3 the power management means 105 maintain Profile 2 until the battery level has exceeded the second threshold t2 and reaches the first threshold t1, at which point the power management means 105 switch to Profile 1.

[0077] Generally speaking, the energy management means 105 regulate the capabilities and performance of the electric aircraft 200 by switching between at least two energy profiles, based on at least the charge level of the energy storage means 102. In this way, the energy management means 105 activates the relevant profile to establish a compromise solution for the aircraft's performance in relation to the probability of recharging its battery, except that below a certain battery level, the energy management means 105 activates an irreversible procedure to force the aircraft to land.

[0078] In summary, the energy management means 105 may also be configured to regulate (during the regulation phase), via the flight control and navigation means 104, the capabilities and performance of the electric aircraft 200 by switching between at least two energy profiles on the basis of at least the charge level of said energy storage means 102, wherein each profile defines at least the maximum speed and/or acceleration and/or pitch achievable by said aircraft 200.

[0079] The above management of the aircraft's energy components and energy profile advantageously increases the options for recharging the aircraft's battery during flight, thereby increasing the available flight time.

[0080] In another embodiment of the invention, the supplementary power supply means 101 are fuel cells or other types of electric generators, without deviating from the basic idea illustrated above. In another embodiment of the invention, the supplementary power supply means 101 are the storage means for a payload carried by the aircraft. An example of such a payload is a smartphone carried for taking photographs or selfies. Commercial smartphones do, in fact, have a 5-pin Micro-USB connector through which data and electrical power can flow. Some commercial products already allow external USB hardware to interact with devices running on Android (see https://source.android.com/devices/accessories/protocol). In any case, experts can devise many solutions, and suitable interfaces, to take advantage of a smartphone, or other battery-equipped device, as a means of supplying supplementary power 101. In other words, the energy storage means of a payload could act as a means of supplying supplementary power 101.

[0081] In another embodiment of the invention, the assembly 100 comprises both supplementary power supply means 101 and a payload with energy storage means having the capacity to supply additional electrical power to the electric aircraft 200, preferably via the electric bus 112, i.e., the payload 108 may comprise second energy storage means that contribute to the generation of the supplementary electric current.

[0082] In such a case, the energy management means 105 are preferably configured to jointly regulate the amount of energy supplied by both the supplementary energy supply means 101 and the payload energy storage means 108 by weighing the limitations of the two energy sources on the basis of their maximum input/output power and/or their available energy, so as to meet the specifications for the operation of the energy storage means 102. In another embodiment of the invention, the assembly 100 comprises a plurality of supplementary energy supply means 101, and the electric currents of the supplementary energy supply means are jointly regulated by weighing the limitations of each of the energy sources on the basis of their maximum output power and/or their available energy, through the energy management means 105, so as to meet the specifications for the operation of the energy storage means 102. In other words, the assembly 100 may comprise, In addition to the characteristics of the embodiments described above, the following parts:

[0083] - at least a second supplementary power supply means (e.g. a second LIPO battery, fuel cell or the like) generating a second supplementary electric current that contributes to the generation of the supplementary electric current generated by the supplementary power supply means 101 (previously described);

[0084] - current control means for controlling the electric current supplied by each of said at least a few additional power supply means, for example, a set of PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) current regulators or the like;

[0085] Furthermore, the energy management means 105 are also configured to regulate (jointly) (during the regulation phase) the electric currents of each of the supplementary energy supplying means, through the current control means, on the basis of said charge level of the energy storage means 102, so that

[0086] - the output of each of said means of supplementary power supplies does not exceed its own maximum value, and/or

[0087] - the load level of each of said means of supplementary power supplies does not fall below its own minimum value for at least a few seconds, and/or

[0088] - the electric current flowing to each of said means of supplying supplementary energy is less than a maximum recharge current.

[0089] In particular, the power management means 105 may also comprise payload control means (for example, a PWM current regulator or the like) for controlling the supplementary electric current delivered by the energy storage means of the payload (second supplementary electric current), and wherein said power management means 105 are also configured to carry out the following steps:

[0090] - estimate a charge level of said second energy storage means by means of the electrical power sensing means 103;

[0091] - to regulate (during the regulation phase) the second supplementary electric current, through said payload control means, on the basis of said regulation of the supplementary electric current generated by said supplementary power supply means 101, so that

[0092] - the output power of said second energy storage media does not exceed a maximum threshold, and/or

[0093] - the charge level of said second energy storage media does not fall below a minimum threshold, and/or

[0094] - the electric current flowing towards said energy storage media 102 is less than a maximum recharge current.

[0095] In this way, it is possible to extend the aircraft's flight time.

[0096] Furthermore, the assembly (100) may comprise connection means adapted for connecting a kinetic generator (e.g., an inertial mass coupled to a piezoelectric generator, a linear generator comprising a coil and a magnet moving within the coil, or the like) to the control bus 111 and the electrical bus 112. In this case, the energy management means 105 are also adapted to control the supplementary energy provided by said kinetic generator, and the energy management means 105 are configured to carry out the following steps:

[0097] - detect whether the kinetic generator is connected to said control bus 111 and to said electrical bus 112; - read, from said kinetic generator and/or from the data stored in the memory media 107, power supply capacity data representing the power supply capacity of said kinetic generator;

[0098] - jointly regulate the amount of energy supplied to the energy storage means 102, both by the supplementary energy supplying means 101 and by the kinetic generator, weighing the limitations of the two energy sources on the basis of their maximum output power and/or their available energy, in such a way as to meet the specifications for the operation of the energy storage means 102.

[0099] In other words, the assembly 100 comprises connection means adapted for connecting a kinetic generator, and wherein said energy management means 105 are also configured to regulate a recharge current passing through said connection means, in order to recharge said energy storage means 102 without exceeding a maximum charge level.

[0100] Before takeoff, the kinetic generator can be detached from the electric aircraft 200 to reduce the overall weight of the aircraft 200. This enables further extension of flight time.

[0101] The present description has addressed some of the possible variations, but it will become clear to those skilled in the art that other embodiments are also possible, in which some elements may be substituted by other technically equivalent elements. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the illustrative examples described herein, but may be subject to many modifications, improvements, or substitutions of equivalent elements and parts without departing from the basic inventive idea, as set forth in the following claims.

Claims (13)

1. CLAIMS 1. Assembly (100) for powering an electric aircraft (200), comprising: - energy storage means (102) for storing electrical energy, - electrical power sensing means (103) adapted to detect and/or measure voltages of said energy storage means (102) and electric currents flowing through said energy storage means (102), in which said set (100) also comprises: - supplementary power supply means (101) adapted to provide supplementary power to said electric aircraft (200), - energy management means (105) configured for: - estimating a charge level of said energy storage means (102) based on said voltages and electric currents detected and/or measured by said electrical power sensing means (103), and - to regulate, on the basis of said load level and said electric currents flowing through said energy storage means (102), a supplementary electric current generated by said supplementary energy supplying means (101) in order to reduce the amount of electric power supplied by said energy storage means (102) to said electric aircraft (200) when the power consumed by said aircraft (200) exceeds the output power of said supplementary energy supplying means (101), and to recharge said energy storage means (102) when the output power of said supplementary energy supplying means (101) exceeds the power consumed by said aircraft (200), wherein said assembly (100) comprises flight control and navigation means (104) for controlling the flight of said electric aircraft (200), said assembly (100) being characterized in that said energy management means (105) are also configured to change, through said flight control and navigation means (104), the capabilities and performance of said electric aircraft (200) by switching between at least two energy profiles on the basis of at least the charge level of said energy storage means (102), wherein each profile defines at least the maximum speed and/or acceleration and/or tilt achievable by said aircraft (200). 2. Assembly (100) according to claim 1, wherein said supplementary power supply means (101) comprise a photovoltaic film (204) that can be positioned on said aircraft. 3. Assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said supplementary power supply means (101) comprise fuel cells and/or other types of electric generators. 4. Assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a payload (108) comprising second energy storage means that contribute to the generation of the supplementary electric current by generating a second supplementary electric current. 5. Assembly (100) according to claim 4, further comprising payload control means for controlling said second supplementary electric current, wherein said power management means (105) are also configured to - estimate a charge level of said second energy storage means by means of said electrical power sensing means (103), and - to regulate said second supplementary electric current, through said payload control means, on the basis of the supplementary electric current generated by said supplementary energy supply means (101), in order that the output power of said second energy storage means does not exceed a maximum threshold, and/or ∘ the charge level of said secondary energy storage media does not fall below a minimum threshold, and/or ∘ the electric current flowing towards said energy storage means (102) is less than a maximum charging current. 6. Assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said assembly (100) further comprises connection means adapted for connecting a kinetic generator, and wherein said energy management means (105) are also configured to regulate a recharge current passing through said connection means, in order to recharge said energy storage means (102) without exceeding its maximum input power and/or a maximum charge level. 7. Aircraft (200) comprising an assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6. 8. Aircraft (200) according to claims 7 and 2, comprising a wing for generating lift, said photovoltaic film covering at least a part of said wing. 9 Aircraft (200) according to claim 7 or 8 and claim 2, comprising a frame (201) comprising a main body (202) and at least one frame arm (203) attached to the main body (202), and wherein said photovoltaic film covers at least a portion of said at least one frame arm (203) and/or said main body (202). 10. Method for powering an electric aircraft (200), comprising: - an acquisition phase, in which voltages of energy storage media (102) for storing electrical energy, and electrical currents flowing through them are detected and/or measured by electrical power sensing means (103), - a load estimation phase, in which a load level of the energy storage means (102) is estimated, via energy management means (105), based on said voltages and electric currents detected and/or measured by said electric power sensing means (103), - a regulation phase, in which a supplementary electric current is generated from supplementary energy supply means (101) adapted to provide supplementary energy to said electric aircraft (200), and in which said supplementary electric current is regulated, via the energy management means (105), based on said load level and said electric currents flowing through said energy storage means (102), to reduce the amount of electric power supplied by said energy storage means (102) to said electric aircraft (200) when the power consumed by said aircraft (200) exceeds the output power of said supplementary energy supply means (101), and to recharge said energy storage means (102) when the output power of said supplementary energy supply means (101) exceeds the power consumed by said aircraft (200), said method being characterized in that, during the regulation phase, the capabilities and performance of said electric aircraft (200) are switched, through flight control and navigation means (104), between at least two energy profiles on the basis of at least the charge level of said energy storage means (102), in which each profile defines at least the maximum speed and/or acceleration and/or tilt achievable by said aircraft (200). 11. Method for powering an electric aircraft (200) according to claim 10, wherein, during the regulation phase, a recharge current, which is generated by a kinetic generator and passes through connection means, is regulated to recharge said energy storage means (102) without exceeding its maximum input power and/or its maximum energy capacity. 12. A method for powering an electric aircraft (200) according to any one of claims 10 or 11, wherein, during the regulation phase, a second supplementary electric current is generated via second energy storage means comprising a payload (108), which contributes to the generation of the supplementary electric current, and the energy management means (105) carry out the steps of: - estimate a charge level of said second energy storage means by means of said electrical power sensing means (103), and - to regulate said second supplementary electric current, through payload control means, on the basis of the supplementary electric current generated by said supplementary energy supply means (101), such that: - the output power of said second energy storage media does not exceed a maximum threshold, and/or - the charge level of said secondary energy storage media does not fall below a minimum threshold, and/or - the electric current flowing towards said energy storage means (102) is less than a maximum recharge current. 13. A method for powering an electric aircraft (200) according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein, during the regulation phase, a plurality of supplementary electric currents are generated by a plurality of supplementary energy supply means (101), and the energy management means (105) are configured to regulate each electric current of said plurality of supplementary electric currents, by means of current control means, on the basis of said charge level of said energy storage means (102), in order that: the output current from each of said plurality of supplementary energy supplying means (101) does not exceed at least an upper threshold associated with said supplementary energy supplying means (101), the energy level of each of said plurality of supplementary energy supplying means (101) does not fall below at least a lower threshold associated with said supplementary energy supplying means (101), and, When said energy storage means (102) are being recharged, the electric current flowing into said energy storage means (102) is less than a maximum recharge current.